Remembering Gloria Vanderbilt's Life in Photos

CR reflects on the life of the Queen of Jeans

By
Devin Hammond

Jun 17, 2019

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After a long battle with cancer, Gloria Vanderbilt passed away earlier this morning at the age of 95. The socialite, designer, actress, and mother of four was known for her vivacious spirit, inherent wisdom, and her work-hard, play-hard mentality. Revered for her beauty and timeless sense of style, Vanderbilt created a name for herself with the launch of her denim brand, Vanderbilt Jeans, in the mid-1970s. The signature form-fitting, dark-wash denim quickly became a closet staple and a fixture of disco-era style. Beyond designing, Vanderbilt possessed passions for performance, fine art, and poetry. Additionally, she published more than a dozen books throughout the course of her lifetime, including Obsession: An Erotic Tale at the age of 85. CR rounds up the most iconic images of the multi-talented heiress through the decades.

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Vanderbilt (left) in an undated childhood photo with her mother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt.

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Young Vanderbilt, age 13, attends a springtime meeting of the United Hunts Racing Association. As the daughter of Gloria Morgan, a socialite, and Reginald Vanderbilt, a railroad tycoon and equestrian enthusiast, she was exposed to high society at a very young age.

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Vanderbilt rides horses with two friends at the Piping Rock Horse Show in Long Island.

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At age 17, Vanderbilt married her first husband, Pat DiCicco, an agent and movie producer. Here, Vanderbilt and DiCicco are seen at their wedding reception in Santa Barbara, California.

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Vanderbilt sunbathes in the Poconos after her stage debut as the lead in The Swan in 1954. The performance would later inspire her iconic swan logo when she became a fashion designer.

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Vanderbilt at the world premiere of East of Eden in 1955.

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Vanderbilt with Frank Sinatra in 1954. The heiress and singer were close friends.

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Vanderbilt and her third husband, director Sidney Lumet, at their wedding reception in 1956. The couple was married for seven years before divorcing in 1963.

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Vanderbilt attends the New York premiere of Albert Camus' Caligula on the arm of Truman Capote in February 1960.

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Vanderbilt receiving a manicure and pedicure at the House of Revlon in 1961.

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Vanderbilt with her fourth husband, Wyatt Cooper, at the October 1964 premiere of the film version of My Fair Lady.

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Vanderbilt, age 45, arriving at the 27th American Fashion Awards at Lincoln Center in October 1969.

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Vanderbilt with her two sons, Anderson and Carter Cooper, at their home in Long Island in 1972.

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In the mid-70's, Vanderbilt launched a line of blue jeans in conjunction with the Murjani Group. Vanderbilt Jeans fit much tighter than other denim of the period, and they featured her embroidered signature and swan logo on the back pockets.

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Vanderbilt visiting the Murjani Group, where her denim was produced.

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Attending the opening of a Richard Avedon exhibit at The Met in 1978. Vanderbilt posed for Avedon several times throughout the course of her early modeling career.

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Vanderbilt and her sons attending the premiere of Woody Allen's Manhattan at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 1979.

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Vanderbilt at the annual Met Gala celebrating the opening of the exhibit "The Imperial Style: Fashions of The Hapsburg Era."

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Vanderbilt representing her Vanderbilt Jeans line at a press conference in January 1979.

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Vanderbilt at her Southampton home, which she shared with husband Wyatt Cooper.

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In November of 1982, a miniseries detailing the challenging young adulthood of Vanderbilt called Little Gloria... Happy At Last premiered, with Angela Lansbury depicting the unshakable heiress.

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Vanderbilt skimming her book Once upon a Time: A True Story By Gloria Vanderbilt with 60 Minutes' Diane Sawyer in March 1985.

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Vanderbilt with her son, Anderson Cooper, at a Tiffany's Silver Jewelry party in 2004. The two were exceptionally close, especially after the passing of her other son, Carter, in 1988.

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In September 2012, Vanderbilt attending the premiere of "The World Of Gloria Vanderbilt: Collages, Dream Boxes, And Recent Paintings" in New York City. The exhibition honored her works through the years.

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